Winwin Ruby has notched the second win for Vinery sire Pluck in Hong Kong this month, on the same day his own sire More Than Ready produced an impressive winner.
The Manfred Mann trained 3yo scored a two-length victory in the Jasper Hcp (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday to keep Plucks 100% winning strike rate in the territory. Jockey Zac Purton set him alight in the straight to claim front-runner Energetic Class at the furlong in Class 3 company.
“He can build on that performance,” Purton predicted. “He’s still maturing in mind and body. He’s got ability and acquitted himself well today.”
Winwin Ruby is a stablemate of Pluck 3yo Jade Theatre who won the Staunton Hcp (1200m) at Happy Valley last Wednesday week.
He was originally trained in New Zealand by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman and won at Tauranga and Te Rapa when racing as Pluck That.
They also prepared Pluck only other HK runner thus far, Jade Theatre who is already a winner in HK and was Stakes placed in NZ under the name Gasoline.
Winwin Ruby’s dam Spirit Of Karlu (Dubawi) is from a half-sister to Australia Stakes-Gr.1 winner Stella Cadente. Another close relation is Vinery’s homebred Victoria Derby-Gr.1 winner Benicio.
Baker and Forsman targeted Pluck’s first crop at the yearling sales. They also bought Mongolian Wolf who became Pluck’s second stakes winner in Australia when successful in the Frank Packer Plate-Gr.3 at Randwick in April.
Pluck (More Than Ready) opened his black-type account with Aspect in the Maribyrnong Plate-Gr.3 at Flemington in November. He’s a Top 6 second-crop sire with 26 winners of 36 races for earnings of $1.13 million this season.
More Than Ready completed a running double for the sireline with Mega Red at Sha Tin on Sunday. Vinery sold him for $105,000 at the 2013 Gold Coast Magic Millions yearling sale.
Pluck stands for a $9,900 (inc gst) service fee at Vinery this year.
